


À Point

by nscarrillo95



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Restaurant, Cooking, Eventual Romance, Fluff, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-30
Updated: 2019-08-14
Packaged: 2020-03-29 17:50:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19024924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nscarrillo95/pseuds/nscarrillo95
Summary: Porco Galliard is a young cook who decides it's time to get out of his comfort zone and goes to chez Fritz, two Michelin stared restaurant owned by chef Zeke Jaeger. There he will meet Pieck, the amazing sous chef, who will show Porco new techniques, tricks, and a new vision of the life of a pro cook.





	1. S.O.S (Sauce on the side)

**Author's Note:**

> I spent a lot of time debating on doing this. I really loved the idea of a Restaurant AU, and I adore this ship, so I decided to uploaded, since I had this first draft already made since last year.  
> This is dedicated to all of my lovely friends from Discord who also love this two Marley bois. A big hug to Angie, Lindsay, Alissa, Reuben, Jo, Ly, Matey, Tessa, Yasmin, Em, Lilly, and please forgive me if I forgot someone, with all my love, this is for you.  
> I really hope you like it.  
> *Attack on Titan and all of its characters belong to Hajime Isayama*

The noises of pots clinging, fast steps and loud voices could be heard from the other side of the wooden door. The heat was brushing Porco's cheeks, but he wasn't sure if it was the kitchen's fire, or the nervousness he was feeling. He was about to enter the Fritz's kitchen, two Michelin stars restaurant, famous not only for this, but for the well balanced dishes served by Chef Zeke Jaeger and his kitchen team. Fritz has never received a negative feed, and it was also known for the extreme quality control in every aspect of the restaurant. He clenched his knife bag and knocked on the door 3 times. Thirteen seconds passed after a tall girl, a very tall girl, opened the door and looked curiously at Porco  
\- Sorry, we are not buying anything - she said in a tired voice.  
\- Excuse me, I'm not here to sell anything, I was hoping I could see chef Jaeger? - The young man asked, hoping he could meet the chef and get a place in his kitchen team.  
\- Let me guess, just graduated culinary arts, your mom loves your food and you want to become executive chef - said the girl in a very condescending tone - Sadly for you Zeke is not here - she added, while she turned and grabbed the door to close it  
\- I'm here to learn - Porco said quickly. -I want to learn from the best, I'm not here to show off, I know I have to get experience –  
Even tho his mom loved his food, it wasn't one of the reasons he wanted a job there. Since he was little, he and his brother Marcel learned the basics about food from his father, and during his teen years they became helpers at a dining room close by their home. Porco was so intrigued about flavors, he loved how you could hate two ingredients on their own, but combining them you could totally love them, the aroma added by spices and the different textures and colors you could bring to a plate, but what he loved the most about cooking was the look in the faces in those who ate their food, how their eyes would open in surprise and mouth draw a smile "It was delicious, thank you Porco" was one of the best things he could get from someone. He knew that he still had so much to learn about cooking and food, so, cheered by his brother, he gather up the courage and stuff to go to chez Fritz. The girl seemed to be amused by Porco's answer and said  
\- Well, now that you put it that way... come in, Zeke is not here but I'll let you meet his sous chef-  
She gestured Porco to follow her throw the hall that took to the kitchen. When they got outside the kitchen area, Porco was amazed. It was an incredible place, the pass was impeccable, conformed by two big aluminum tables and equipped with heat lamps above them. The stoves were accommodated into two separated lines, with tables besides; the pastry area was behind, separated by a glass and a crystal door, he could see a blonde petite girl piping something in trays. The cooks in that kitchen were all working in an amazing way, it seemed like it was some choreographed play and every each of the four persons in there were moving as if every step was staged. Porco tried to guess who the sous chef was when the blonde girl said  
\- Hey Pieck, got you some newbie, says he want to be a part of the team - everyone in the kitchen gave a glance at him, without stopping what they were doing, chopping, mixing, piping ... Porco felt chills down his spine.  
A tall blond young man said with a teasing tone  
\- Hey Yelena, you know the fresh meat is stored in the back –  
Only a young man with wavy hair chuckled at the man’s pun.  
\- Quiet Braun, or else you'll be tomorrow's entrance - the girl called Yelena said.  
A small girl with black hair tied in a ponytail approached the two of them. Porco at first couldn't believe she was the sous, but then remembered he wasn't the one who judged a book by its cover. As she approached he realized she was very cute, she also looked very relaxed, or tired, he couldn't decide.  
\- So, how familiar are you familiarized with the five mothers? - She asked. Her voice was very calming, but Porco just blinked and in a try to answer, he just stutter  
\- T-the five who?-  
Yelena laughed and start walking back - Bet he won't last the night -  
Porco felt confused and turned his gaze towards the girl.  
\- The five mother sauces? Have you heard of them? - He surely knew how to make a lot of different sauces, and suddenly a bell rang inside his brain  
\- The classics? Tomato, hollandaise, velouté, béchamel and spanish? - He asked feeling a little bit more confident. - Yes, so, think you can make tomato and béchamel for today's dishes? - She asked.  
She didn't seemed to be mean or trying to mock him, she was being very polite and Porco was getting a little unsettled about that. He was expecting to get a kind of mocking test, the classical joke made to newbies, so he couldn't let his guard down.  
\- Yes ma'am, how much should I make? –  
\- 2lt of each, please, and call me Pieck. I see you brought your knifes so, wash your hands, put your apron on and you can use the table next to the big stove, the walk in is behind you and the stock room next to the chef's office.- she said and pointed as she returned to the table she was before.  
\- Get to work - she said. The tone of her voice wasn't loud, but the way she said that froze his blood. He took his black apron, left his knifes in the table and went into the fridge to look for ingredients.  
When he opened the door, he got marveled by the quantity and quality of fruits and vegetables in it, everything was perfectly arranged, left side was for legumes, and center was for prepared foods and packed ingredients and right side, with a protective glass door, the amazing sight of desserts. All of the items inside were perfectly labeled and organized, it was a beautiful thing. He grabbed a small basket and put inside some onion, tomatoes, milk, parmesan cheese, and some spices. When he went out to the storage room, he was also marveled by the organization of it. All of the spices were arranged in small jars with labels, and the name of the item was written in such a delicate cursive handwriting. He took what he needed and went to the table. Porco located the washing area and disinfected the veggies. In the mid time he gave a glance to the kitchen and its staff. The blond tall guy who Yelena referred as Braun was preparing some meats, he had a cocky and confident look, which Porco absolutely disliked within 2 seconds. The young man in the table next to him had wavy blonde hair and green eyes, and he was cleaning some shrimps and lobsters, he looked very focused but what caught Porco's attention about this one was that his organization was impeccable. To be honest, the whole place was amazing, but this guy looked even more organized. The girl in the pastry area had a very scary look on her face, she seemed as a very tough cook, not to mess with. His gaze turned over the sous chef, she was chopping some vegetables, so fast he feared for a second about her fingers. But she was so confident, and the way she was doing the task she looked so graceful. Every vegetable has the same size and form and her working table was impeccable. She turned her face, as if she had felt Porco's eyes on her and he quickly turned to his table expecting she hadn't seen him staring.  
He got a little intimidated by this new kitchen, the size, and the other cooks. They all seemed incredibly skilled. But he had skill too, and a very refined nose and palette, so he took a breath and started chopping his ingredients in the green cutting board he took from the bottom part of the table. When he had his mise en place ready, he looked around the kitchen searching for pans or pots.  
-Behind- he heard a many voice and saw that Braun guy walking fastly behind him towards a room across the hallway.  
-Hey, where can I find a 9? – Porco asked him from his table. –Follow me rookie- Braun guided him to a small room in the hall.  
-You can find pots, pans, lids, trays, anything you need here. Welcome aboard, if you last the shift, you can call me Reiner, meats and birds- he said as he crossed his arms.  
-Thanks, I’m Galliard.-  
-Have you ever worked in the line?-  
-A couple of years, I used to work at the Grice Dining room, but it was mostly fast food oriented-  
-Well, good luck then, I’m not sure if Pieck is going to let you stay after lunch, maybe you’ll become the bubble dancer- he said, walking back to his station, while laughing.  
Found the a-hole already, and it’s been only 20 minutes. Porco tough while taking his equipment and got back to his table. He took his lighter and turned on the stove, heat his pans and started with the onions.  
While sautéing his first ingredients for his sauces he tried glancing through the glass that gave a view of the dining room. There was a big wooden bar, and the back was full of polished bottles, perfectly arranged by type. There were some people too in the floor, he saw Yelena, the girl who let him in, surrounded by other 3 persons, she seemed to be in charge of the floor, she had a piece of paper and was talking while the others listened carefully to her. Around them, the tables and chairs were placed in a symmetric pattern, and every table looked perfectly placed, with cutlery, dishes, napkins and a candle.  
The tomato sauce was ready, in a pot with lid, and he was stirring the béchamel while waiting for it to thicken, when he sensed a presence behind him. He turned his gaze and got scared by Pieck’s presence beside him  
– Did I scared you? - she asked.  
– Yeah, I didn’t heard you –  
\- Sorry, may I taste them? – the girl asked pointing at the pots with her eyes.  
Porco took a spoon from his apron and opened the tomato sauce, grabbed a little with the spoon and passed it to Pieck, who took it and smelled it first, then proceeded to taste it.  
– Nice thinking, covering the acidity of the tomato with sugar- she said. – You could tell? It was a trick my old boss taught me-  
-Let me see the other one. Hmm, nice texture- the sous chef praised- but, don’t add more nutmeg, try with mace instead- she tapped his shoulder in an approving way and moved to the next station.  
-How are my fruits de mer doing Nicolo?-  
Porco followed Pieck with his eyes. She went station by station asking the cooks about their tasks, giving some tips or approving their mise en place. He could see that she was very respected by his team mates, and she was a very good lead. When she finished her rounds she stepped in the kitchen door and called.  
-Okay guys, let’s go to the table, it’s time to check if newbie here has what it takes. Come on red, bring your sauces with you.-


	2. First Course

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After getting out of his comfort zone and stepping in chez Fritz, Porco is being tested to see if he has what it's needed to be part of the kitchen team.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really got hyped about this fic, so I decided to continue it. I'd really appreciatte your feedback, pretty please, since this is the first time ever I write something, and english is not my first language, so I'll truly appreciate some comments on this <3 I hope you keep enjoying this little story of mine as I try to show the beauty of cooking.

All of the cooks except for Pieck went out of the kitchen, and stood behind the glass that separated the floor from the kitchen. The other guys talking with Yelena joined them, with curious faces. Everyone outside was chatting while looking at Porco. The nervousness he felt when he was at the door came back in a matter of seconds.  
-We are going to plate 20 dishes. Ten firsts, farfalle I already prepared with your tomato sauce, and 10 chicken breast croquettes with the béchamel. Mise en place is already placed. Are you ready?- Pieck asked him while she walked towards the pass table and setted 20 white plates on it.  
Before him, the working table nearest to the pass was organized with bowls and pans with ingredients. An egg mixture was in the middle of a bowl with flour and a bowl with panko, they were in a table next to a small burner in which a large pot with oil was. He understood that was the m.e.p for the croquettes. On the other side rested a wooden board with the fresh farfalle ready to be cooked in boiling water.  
-Yes chef.- he answered confident, forgetting he was being watched by professionals.   
They started working together, Porco started preparing the croquettets while Pieck was preparing a salad. They were silent, but it was not an awkward feeling, for some reason, he felt confident and ready. Pieck took a spoon with what it seemed a vinaigrette and told Porco  
-Taste-   
His hand moved automatically and grabbed the spoon, he tasted the acidity of strawberry, and a hint of basil. It was amazing well balanced and fresh, he stopped for a second to turn back to her. She was tossing the salad and placing it in a small fridge under the pass.  
-It was great, how did you did it?-   
-Time for the croquettes? - Pieck asked without stopping her work, it was as if she was a machine, aiming to finish her task without interruption.  
-Oh, eh, 8 minutes, I’m going to start frying the first batch-  
-Good, let me know when you are in the last and I’ll start the farfalle.-  
-Yes, chef- Porco answered and proceeded to take the tray were he places the medium croquettes covered in panko, and started putting them in the hot oil. As soon as the fists were ready, he placed them in another bowl to eliminate the oil excess, grabbed one and handed it to Pieck, who took it and bite it right away.   
-Nice texture, don’t forget to clean the oil between batches-  
-Heard-  
A sudden feeling of comfort filled Porco’s chest. The sound of the croquettes frying, the smell of oil, lemon, and tomato were familiar to him. When he cooked he enjoyed every minute of it, being active and focused doing what he loved always made him feel good. The minutes kept passing and he signed Pieck to let her know he was working on the last batch of croquettes. She caught the sign without talking, and started cooking the pasta. By the time he finished frying, the sous chef had already finished preparing the entrance.  
-Okay, I’ll let you plate, while I set the table- the young woman said as she took of her apron and walked to the floor. Porco followed her with his gaze and saw everyone helping with the setting for the meal.  
He took the deep plates and added a generous amount of pasta and tomato sauce in them, and proceeded to plate three croquettes in a bed of salad in the large plates. Everyone entered the kitchen when he finished plating and took the plates to the floor.  
As soon as everyone was sited on the table, they started eating, beginning with the farfalle. Porco took a bite as he eyed everyone’s reaction, he was feeling nervous again. A moment ago in the kitchen he felt the usual confidence in his skills, just cooking the same way as ever, but the thought of the staff of chez Fritz eating his food was starting to grow on him. Professionals, years of training and aiming for culinary perfection had formed this people, and the idea of failing in front of them started to eat his brain. He was about to stand up when Nicolo broke the ice.  
-The tomato sauce is very well balanced- he said and Porco felt a little bit relieved.  
-Did you used the tomato paste from the stock room?- asked the blonde girl who was working in the pastry area.   
-No, I did it myself, using some dehydrated tomatoes and a couple of fresh ones-   
-It has a nice taste, but it has a kinda runny consistence, my advice is that you should reduce the ground tomatoes for 15 minutes before mixing it with the rest of the sauce- Braun said, not in a mocking tone, but in a very professional way.  
-Yeah, I’ll do that-  
-It’s sooo good!!! Very tasty, and the pasta is perfectly cooked, al dente. But, the plating can change a bit tho, perhaps you can bring the color up with fresh parsley- a girl with reddish hair said, Porco assumed she was a service staff member since she was talking with Yelena a few minutes ago.  
-Don’t worry Sasha, he still has a lot to learn, but, I’ll admit he is very talented, I like him- Pieck said in a very chill way, and gave him a small smile which made Porco blush.  
-Thank you, chef, and thank you for giving me the opportunity to wo…-  
-Hold your horses red, we still have to taste the second dish, and the shift hasn’t even started. You can start thanking her if you survive the night. Even then, you still have to get Zeke`s approval- Yelena interrupted him.  
-I think he will- Nicolo answered   
-Oh ho ho, it’s been a while since we got a new member, what about a bet, like old times?- Braun proposed with amusement in his voice. Everyone raised their eyes, with a funny shine in them, looking back at Porco, who was feeling conscious again.  
-I bet, $100, he’ll do it- Pieck said, serving salad into her plate.  
Everyone stared at her. Including Porco. He knew he had skill, but when the sous chef of his dreamed restaurant put not only that amount of money, but her confidence in him, it almost made him tear up.  
-I’m with Pieck, he has it in him- Nicolo said, tasting a croquette  
-Well, I’m against. Nothing personal dude, but, I can’t see it happening. I’ll take it, $100 he’ll break before the shift ends, he won’t even make it to Zeke- Yelena said, taking a sip of wine from her cup.  
-Don’t you think saying this in front of him will affect him? He looks pretty constipated already- said the pastry girl.  
Everyone in the table looked back at him, and he felt they were searching for a trace of weakness.  
-I’m okay, I know I need to earn my place here, and I’ll do my best to do so- Porco answered. The phrase came out automatically, he didn’t even though before opening his mouth, but saying it out loud made him feel better. He recalled his brother, Marcel, trying all of his dishes, even if they were pretty bad, he’d always give him a reassuring feedback that he was getting better with every dish or a friendly suggestion on what to change. His brother was the one who pushed him out of his comfort zone and showed him the potential he had, he had to do this for himself and for Marcel.  
-Very well, let’s finish lunch and get ready for the shift- Pieck said.  
\---------------------------------------------  
After the meal, everyone helped to pick up the dishes, and got to their working areas. The front house staff changed into their uniforms, black trousers, white cotton button shirts, black ties and a black apron with the golden logo of Chez Fritz proudly embroiled in the left side of the chest. Yelena was dressed differently, she was wearing a dark blue blazer, with matching trousers and a white plain shirt, Porco deduced she was the hostess. Everyone in the kitchen team took their respective gray apron and put it on after their white cotton coats, then proceeded to wash their hands and get to their stations.  
-Here, you can use this coat for today, but I think it’s a little oversized for you- Pieck said as she handed an old-looking kitchen coat to Porco. He took it and put it on, it was a couple of sizes bigger than his. Embroided on the right side, with black thread, the name Jaeger was read.  
-It was Zeke’s, from his old days at culinary school-  
-Is it okay for me to borrow it?-  
-Sure, he doesn’t really uses it anymore. He gave it to me the first day I cooked here. I looked really funny with it on- she giggled. –I am sorry I didn’t asked before, but, how should I call you? - Porco imagined her with the oversized coat and pictured an adorable image of tiny Pieck, with such a large coat.  
-Porco… I mean, Galliard, the name is Porco Galliard, please just Galliard- he stuttered  
-Okay, Galliard. Then, you’ll be my commis today, and since you did such an amazing job with the sauces, what about filling in for the saucier post? Think you can take it?-  
-Yes chef- he answered rather loud and she laughed.  
-Call me Pieck, just Pieck- she said as she gestured him to follow her.   
They went to the walk in and got out a couple of large pots covered with lids and labeled. One of them was beef stock, and the other was veggie stock. As they were walking to the stove near the pass he glanced again at the kitchen staff and he was once again amazed by what he saw. Just like warriors preparing for battle, the sound of knives being sharpened, stoves being prepared as the gas valves were opened and the fire lighting them, the sound of boiling water and rushed steps, pans and pots being prepared to cook, a hand mixer doing its job emulsifying a preparation… he was more than ready to start this shift and prove himself that he deserved to work at a Michelin stared restaurant.   
The sudden noise of the back door opening and heavy footsteps approaching the kitchen got him out of his thoughts. He froze as the sudden view of his hero, head chef Zeke Jaeger stood in the door frame.  
-Good evening guys- he greeted  
-Good evening chef- everyone answered in unison, even the guys from the floor, as it was a rehearsed phrase.   
Zeke took his coat and handed it to Yelena as his eyes roamed the kitchen and stopped on Porco’s eyes.  
-Oh, who are you? - He asked, with a little bit of surprise and tiredness in his voice.  
\- Our brand new washing machine- answered Braun laughing in the back  
-He’s someone with potential- said Pieck from behind. Zeke just blinked a couple of times, changing his gaze towards the small sous chef.  
-Well, if you said so Pieck, I assume you are in charge of him today?-  
-Yes, I decided he’ll be the saucier commis today, I’ll guide him through the shift-  
-Very well. Young man, I trust Pieck’s judgment with all my heart, if you can prove you can keep up with me and my team, we’ll have a chat after the shift- Zeke said as he walked to his office.   
-Scary, right? Rumor has it, he served the last guy who tried to apply for a place here as an aperitif during last season- Nicolo said to Porco’s ear.  
-Stop teasing him- Pieck’s voice was heard from afar, she was in the pastry area, talking with the blonde girl. -Okay so, two baked desserts, and two cold. If you need more saffron for the infusion I can make a last minute order to the provider- she asked as she noted some other ingredients into a small notepad.   
–No, the bottle I have in the storage room will do, thanks Pieck- she answered – So, during lunch, you said you liked the newbie… why are you giving him a chance?- she asked with curiosity.  
-Well, I’m not sure. When he said he wanted to learn, and that determined look in his eyes, it kind of reminded me of, myself- she smiled and walked towards him.  
Zeke got out of his office, wearing his kitchen uniform and holding a piece of paper.  
-Gather up guys, let’s discuss today’s menu. This week is the last we’ll be serving this plates, since the new season arrives in 15 days. We’ll have a meeting to debate on the new menu… so, cold, you have the ceviche entrance, the cold egg salad and the pasta, please add more tiger’s milk to the first … -   
As Zeke was talking, everyone listened carefully, and he even saw every staff member taking notes of their respective areas. His voice was deep, and very authoritarian, it wasn’t quite like during his interviews on TV, Porco recalled watching a couple of them with his family, sometimes, his mother would took the time to record them for him if he was busy. In this interviews, he sounded very professional, even happy when he talked about his food and proud when addressing his restaurant, but right now, having him face to face, he sounded, rather bothered of being there. Galliard thought he was confusing things up due to his nerves and when he was about to shut his eyes to clear his mind, he got called by Zeke.  
-So, you already know we have an aspiring cook among us, he’ll be the saucier commis today. Please, pay attention, the lamb, ostrich, and duck tech details sheets are here, the sauces are already out. Your job today will be to make sure every plate that needs sauce has it. I don’t want liquid sauces, I don’t want insipid sauces and I don’t want sauceless plates. You’ll obey Pieck’s command today, understood?-  
-Yes chef- Porco answered loudly after giving a quick read to the tech sheets.  
-Okay, so everyone is ready, the restaurant opens in 5. Good luck newbie. Everyone, get to your places- Zeke commanded  
-Yes chef-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More translation of kitchen slang and culinary terms  
> Farfalle: butterfly shaped pasta, it gets its name from the italian word "farfalla" which means butterfly   
> M.E.P: Mise en place abbreviation, ingredients and preparations before cooking  
> Panko: large bread crumbs, mostly used in japanese cuisine  
> Plate: to accomodate the components of a dish into a plate  
> Reduce (a sauce, liquid): to put a liquid into a pot, into the fire, to let the water evaporate and change it to a more thick consistence  
> Commis: Kitchen assistant  
> Saucier: cook who is in charge of the sauces


	3. Ready, Set, Cook

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Porco's first shift at his dreamed restautant is also his trial. Would he impress the head chef of chez Fritz and earn a place in its kitchen?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so hyped coming with new ideas for this and for seeing a glimpse of Porco on todays episode <3\. Thank you for your reads <3 Dedicated to my Discord and Tumblr friends.

Table 4 ordered one tasting menu composed by 12 parts, one pasta dish and a lamb. This was the fifth table that ordered since the beginning of the shift, which had been just 15 minutes ago. In just a matter of minutes the restaurant became mayhem. Every table was occupied by more than 3 people, and every client ordering a different plate. And this was just another day at chez Fritz. The kitchen team started working as soon as the order tickets came in and Pieck chanted the orders out loud. –Yes chef- was the only thing everyone responded. The whole team moved as a gear on a clockwork, Reiner cooked the meats at the desired point, shouted the time for them to be ready, in the mid time, Pieck and Nicolo worked on the entrance and siding of every dish, and for Porco, he wasn’t staying behind, he prepared all the base sauces for every plate and payed attention to the timing for every plate. He also took mental notes of the different platings and decorations Pieck was making. One of the things that really took Galliard by surprise, was the pastry chef. She just needed to hear the first ticket of a table and she’d deliver the desserts perfectly on time, either she was the fastest cook in the kitchen, or used magic. The hours passed, not as fast as the pastry, but this dance between 5 cooks and food was very revitalizing, you could see the concentration, yet, enjoyment on everyone’s faces for minutes and minutes.   
Porco was so focused during the shift that he didn’t realized how a certain pair of grey eyes were following him since the start of the shift, looking at every movement and interaction with the other cooks. He even didn’t realized how the order ticket for table 10, filled with dishes with sauces, was actually going to an office across the hall.  
The digital clock above the kitchen door just marked it. 23h, the finish line. Even though Porco was used to work in line, this shift totally left him without breath, it was more intense than he anticipated, and also it had been a while since he worked like this.  
-Okay everyone, last guest just left. We are officially closed- voiced Zeke, stretching his back.  
Everyone started the cleaning off their areas, they were packing, filming and labeling preparations, taking dishes and dirty equipment to the washing area, scrubbing the stoves, tables and extractors.  
-So, how are you doing? - Pieck asked while she filmed a tray with sliced carrots.  
-I’m fine. I gotta admit it was intense, but I liked it, the rush, the heat… I missed this very much- Porco answered as he continued to scrub the burner where he worked.  
-How long have you been working in the line?-  
-Around 5 years. I used to do summer jobs with my brother in a small dinner near my house, after high school I took a formal job there. Then, I quit and went home, to help my family with house chores, taking care of them… - he got lost in his memories for a bit. When his father lost his job, he got sick, and since Marcel attended college, his mother had to take care of his husband and her house, besides her job, so Porco left the dinner and went back home to take care of them. He’d do basic house chores such as cleaning, laundry, shopping groceries and of course, prepare the meals. During those days, he’d prepare his family’s favorite dishes, and every Sunday he’d prepare dinner for the four of them, including Marcel’s favorite dessert, apple pie, with the Galliard’s secret twist. He smiled as he remembered that last Sunday, in which his old brother surprised the family with his diploma, and a set of brand new knives for Porco. “Go chase your dream, brother, I’ll take care of mom and dad now” after a little argument, he persuaded Porco to move to his old apartment near downtown and take a shot at his dream work place. The very same place he was in right now, just finishing a shift.  
-And what about you? Are you as aged as the wines behind the bar? - Porco asked, trying to be friendlier, but regret it as soon as the pun left his lips  
-Not really, I’m the one who put them in the barrels, so, use your maths- Pieck answered giggling and he nervously smiled.  
\- I started working here the second year it opened, after I dropped of culinary school- she said as she picked up the trays she had labeled, and went to the walk in to store them.   
The young man followed her with his eyes, wondering why she had quitted, when a sudden noise called his attention. Zeke was on the other side of the hall, and he had knocked on the kitchen’s door.  
-Newbie, a moment please, in my office-  
It was the moment of truth. Porco left out a breath and started walking towards Zeke`s office, under the gaze of both kitchen and service teams. The tension could be felt in the air so much that he could had grabbed a butter knife, cut a little bit of it and spread it across his bed of insecurities, and give it a bite. He had no idea on what to do I he failed and was rejected, now that the possibility was staring him in the face he feared that he would disappoint Marcel, his parents, and himself. As he entered the office and closed the door, he gazed through Zeke`s wall, covered in photos, awards and recognitions. He also had a bookshelf stacked with tons of culinary books, recipe books, and food science. Porco noticed there was a photo at the center of the wall and caught his eye. It was a small frame, which had in it the opening day of Fritz, there was Zeke, looking a lot younger, no beard, and no glasses, surrounded by 3 persons. The one on his right was a middle aged man with glasses and a cap covering his dark hair, on his left side was a woman, with short blond hair, and next to her, a strict looking man, with black hair and beard, all 4 posing proudly in front of the restaurant.  
The older man sat in his black chair behind his desk and signaled Porco to do the same in the wooden chair in front of him.   
-Did you knew the last time we hired someone for the kitchen was Nicolo?- Zeke started talking. –That was 3 years ago. A long time, I know, but I only hire those who I think are the most creative and open minded. Why do you think I do this?-  
-Because you strike for perfection, chef-  
Well, yes, but that’s not all. I search for team players. We are a team, a family, even if we have different ideas and thoughts, we respect each other, we have our backs, and we trust each other. Pieck and those guys out there are not my employees, they are my teammates- the man explained.  
-Today I allowed you to work on the shift because Pieck saw something in you, she says you got what it’s needed, and I trust her judgment. And, as expected of her, she was exactly right-  
Porco got shocked and opened his eyes.  
-Do you mean … -  
-Yes, I am trusting your abilities and your character, mister …? –  
-Galliard, Porco Galliard-   
\- Well mister Galliard, welcome to the crew- Zeke said.  
-Oh my, I, I am very thankful chef, thank you for trusting me, I promise I w..- Porco started to ramble. He was so excited.   
-Hang on, take a breath kid. I’ll admit you have talent, your sauces were pretty amazing, and you know the basics about working in line, but you still have a lot to learn. Starting next Monday you’ll spend time with each kitchen member so you can learn different branches, and I’d also like you to keep the saucier post. What do you say?-  
-Yes chef, I appreciate the offer. Thank you again for this opportunity-   
They shaked hands as Porco was thanking him for the 10th time.  
-Come on then, let’s introduce the rookie to the rest of the guys- Zeke said as he opened the door of his office. The kitchen staff had already finished cleaning everything and the kitchen was closed. Zeke walked towards the front of the restaurant, where both teams were.  
Everyone was chatting until Yelena called and the room became silent. Zeke stepped in and started talking.  
-I assume there was a bet arranged?- he asked  
-Yes chef- Yelena answered.   
-Okay then, I hope you all bring enough cash. Everyone, I would like to introduce you to the new chef saucier, Galliard. - The chef said, pointing his hand at Porco, gesturing him to walk next to him. Nicolo, the girl named Sasha, the pastry chef and Pieck chanted victory as the others just sighed in defeat and surprise.   
-Is this for real? He’s the first person you hire in 3 years- Yelena said to Zeke’s ear.   
-Yeah, the guy got talent. How much did you lost?  
-$100-  
-Oh my, who proposed the amount?-  
-Pieck did-  
-Well, well. If there is something I learned after all this time working by her side, is to never be against her- Zeke said as he looked towards Porco, who was talking and being introduce to the whole team.  
-I’m Colt Grice, barman, you probably don’t remember me, but I know you from my uncle’s dinner, he always spoke highly of you- the blond man said as he gave Galliard his hand  
-Thank you, it will be a pleasure to work again with you. You made the best milkshakes at the dinner- Porco answered with a smile.  
-Let me introduce you to the others, these two are Berthold and Sasha, the best waiters you’ll ever met. I think you already met Yelena, over there with Zeke, she’s the head of the floor and the hostess. In the kitchen we have the one and only, the wonderful Pieck- Colt said as he grabbed Pieck’s hand and bowed. She just giggled and took her hand back and took Porco by his arm.  
-You won’t win anything with the flattery Grice. Come on, lets keep going, this is Nicolo, fish and sea food, Reiner, meats and birds, and this is Annie, the best pastry chef in town-  
As Pieck was calling them, they gave Porco a small greet and welcoming words. They kept walking until reaching Zeke and Yelena  
-Well, it’s been a long day, everyone, lets close and go home. Make sure to rest enough this weekend, during the next days, starting Monday, we’ll start working on the new season’s menu. Goodnight guys- Zeke said and everyone started walking toward the small staff room next to the bar.   
-Pieck, Galliard, just a minute- the chef asked.  
-Since you proposed him, I’d like you keep an eye on him, and teach him all you know. Is that alright?-   
-Of course Zeke, leave him to me- the sous chef answered as she smiled to Porco. He of course blushed, and look to the floor to avoid been seen. Zeke nodded and turned around, walking to his office.  
-Oh, wait, your coat chef, I borrowed it for the day- Porco said as he started unbuttoning it.  
-Hmm? Oh, don’t worry, it’s yours now. By the way, Pieck, do you think you can take him get his uniform?-   
-Yes chef. I’ll take care of his contract and everything. Goodnight Zeke- she said and waved to him.   
Everyone left the restaurant, except for the sous chef and the new saucier.  
-So, tomorrow at midday, are you busy?- the raven haired girl asked.  
-No, not really-  
-Perfect, what about meeting at Panzer’s? I’ll take you to get your uniforms and I’ll give you a small introduction to this madhouse-  
Porco giggled –Sure, should I give you my number? To settle the details- they both exchanged numbers and got to the door, the same door Porco knocked on a few hours ago, but to him, it now seemed as months. They got out and Pieck locked it.  
-You take the subway? - he asked  
-No, I walk, my house is a couple of blocks away-  
Walking towards the mains street, the recently hired cook gathered his courage and said what was bugging him since lunch.  
-Can I ask you something?-   
-Sure, never hesitate to ask me anything- the small woman answered  
-Why did you bet $100 on me? I appreciate the gesture of confidence, but that amount of money on someone you just met it’s kinda … -  
-Weird? - She voiced. Both of them still walking side by side  
-Yeah, a little-  
She left out a deep giggle.  
\- At first I thought you’d gave up, but there was a moment when I knew it, I knew you deserved and were going to earn a place in the Fritz kitchen- The redhead man stopped and the girl did the same just a couple of steps ahead him.  
-Really? And when did you knew I was going to be accepted? - Porco curiously asked.  
-When I tried your tomato sauce- Pieck said happily as she turned her face towards him, giving a cute smile.  
-It tasted just as the one my mother used to made-


	4. 4.	Relevé (spiced)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After his first time at cooking at Fritz and being selected to be the new saucier chef, Porco is taken into a .... date? business rendez vous? with Pieck to get his new uniforms and know more about the Fritz kitchen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since the events of 119 really got to me, I took a little longer to finish this. And I wanted to do it by adding as many fluff as I could, to erase that angsty feeling that the manga left in my heart. He was one of my favorite characters, I'm really going to miss him very much.  
> Dedicated to all my fellow PokkoPikku shippers.

The morning came and Porco still couldn’t get over the fact that he had met his idol and that he had the chance to cook for him, and win a place in his kitchen. When he arrived to his medium sized apartment, he immediately called his family. Marcel was the one who picked up the phone, and he even made a weird excitement noise after hearing the good news, he congratulated his young brother and put his parents on the phone to let them hear about Porco’s first day at chez Fritz, a talk which took over forty minutes until Marcel recalled it was time to go to sleep.  
The young man got up and went straight to the bathroom to take a shower. The cold water helped him to remove traces of sleepiness and activate his mind. He chose a very casual outfit that consisted only in a pair of jeans, a plain shirt and his favorite jacket. He went into the kitchen to have some coffee when his phone alerted him he had a message.  
Morning!! It’s Pieck.  
Morning chef, was about to go out. Where should we meet?  
The next message was a location in the maps app. He clicked on it, took his keys and went out of his apartment.  
They met in the spice shop a block away from the restaurant. Porco saw Pieck through the window, she was opening a box and taking a dried herb to smell it. He saw her taking the herb and breaking it in half, then taking the biggest piece and took it close to her nose and she inhaled slowly, held her breath and let it go in the same peaceful way she inhaled. She repeated this but the next time, she closed her eyes, the staring man assumed she was thinking about the aroma, and taking it in her brain, imagining the tons of flavors and ingredients she could use with this herb to enhance a dish and the soft expression in her face could tell that she had already a recipe in mind for it. She took a jar out of her bag, filled it and went to the cashier to pay for it. When she approached the entrance door, Porco turned around and pretended to be on his phone.  
-Morning Galliard. Did you had enough rest? - Pieck asked  
-Morning chef. Yes. To be honest I still feel like I’m dreaming. Did you got some spices? - He asked moving his sight to the store behind them. It had a vintage design with a wooden signed, in which the word “épicerie” was painted with black and grey tones.  
-Yes, I bought a little bit of fennel. I’m gathering some ideas for the new menu. Have you thought about anything for this new season?-  
The question took Porco by surprise.  
-Uhm, not really, I thought Zeke was the one who was in charge of creating the menus-  
-Well, he has the last call on the dishes, but we all present dishes, recipes, cocktails, desserts… that will be one of your new tasks. Let’s get going and I’ll tell you more-  
They started walking and chatting about how the restaurant worked. Pieck told Porco that during the next week after the close up, the staff worked on cleaning deeply the place, everything had to be spotless before they started working in the next menu. She also explained the mechanics for choosing the new menu, both teams, kitchen and floor, could submit their ideas or recipes for every dish, dessert or drink, and the new recipes needed to include the seasons ingredients. Once the members had submitted their ideas, Zeke would pick up the most interesting, propose his own, or even suggest some changes for the others ideas.  
-When the first draft of the tasting menu is ready, we all go grocery shopping. Some go to greenhouses to get some ingredients, Reiner goes to the local butcher to select the meat pieces and usually me and a couple of volunteers go to the Liberio Market- the girl said with excitement in her voice.  
Porco new the Liberio Market. He had gone 3 times with Mr. Grice to buy some things for the dinner. It was the largest market, the most colorful and with more variety than any other, you could find almost anything there, if you didn’t get lost first between the fresh fruits and vegetables. As Pieck continued talking about the market shopping, Porco took note of how even if she was looking and talking in a relaxed way, her voice trembled with joy and her eyes had those little crinkles, and her mouth was forming a little smile, he thought she was cute.  
-Oh, we’re here- she said looking at a small local in front of them.  
Galliard looked at the local, confused by what he saw. The big panel, painted in a navy blue color, had the word Panzer’s written on it, and he believed he was going to see a uniform store, since that was the idea of their rendez vous, but instead, they were in front of a small sandwich store. The smell of freshly baked bread got to his nose, as he took a breath to make a question.  
-Where are we?-  
-Panzer’s! This is my favorite place to get lunch. I hope you don’t mind, but I come here every Saturday to eat, and say hi to the staff, besides, we can’t start talking about work with empty stomachs. I’ll treat you, as a welcome gift- Pieck said as she walked towards the counter. Behind it, a small kitchenette was arranged and organized so that in the small space of the local, the staff could walk and move to prepare the food. In the counter there was a small bell which the black haired girl ranged three times before speaking.  
-Is someone home? There are two breathtaking costumers starving here!- she raised her voice, turning her head towards the door that seemed to lead to the staff room.  
Porco was took by surprise as how Pieck announced their arrival. She seemed very calmed, but she was also very extroverted and easy going outside the kitchen. Not that she was very different while she worked, but thinking about yesterday’s shift, she was so focused, chanting the orders and giving instructions to the team, she was a natural leader and a really confident person, he really liked her. For him, learning from someone as talented as the sous chef of Fritz was an amazing opportunity, he was ready to take in as much techniques and information as he could.  
-Oh, it’s Pieck! It’s been a while since I saw you here, miss- a young man with light hair and glasses said, as he walked outside the staff room. He seemed really happy to see the girl.  
-Carlo, hi. It’s so nice to see you, the guys told me you took a break to focus on the entrance exams. How did it go?- she asked. They seemed very familiar with each other.  
-Well, the results will be out in a couple of weeks, but I feel confident-  
-I know you’ll make it, you are a hard worker. We all should celebrate once you’re in-  
-Sure, I’ll let you all know- the man said blushing  
-What can I get you for today? - he asked  
-Hmm, today I’m feeling like … tuna melt! In rye bread please. And what would you like to eat?-Pieck asked turning her head to see Galliard. The guy named Carlo suddenly reacted a little bit alerted, looking nervously at Porco.  
-Oh, Pieck, you didn’t told us you had a boyfriend- he said quietly  
-Oh? No, no, Galliard is the new saucier at Fritz, today is his induction day, and I brought him to try the amazing sandwiches here- she said not giving to much thoughts about Carlo’s relieved sight  
-Well, boss, do you have any recommendation?- Porco asked as he approached the counter and stood next to her.  
-Let’s see, since is your first time, what about a turkey sandwich? It has roasted turkey with swiss cheese, fresh lettuce, dried tomatoes and the secret Panzer sauce- she said as she winked at him. The redhead blushed and turned his head to the bread list above the counter.  
-I’ll take a turkey one then, with oats bread, please-  
-So a new member of Fritz? Congratulations mister Galliard, rumor has it the last person who got a job there, took it two years ago and ever since, there has been no new members- Carlo said as he started taking the order in a small tablet he had.  
-Drinks are on the house, will cherry soda be okay- he asked looking at Pieck.  
-Cherry soda it’s perfect- she said. –Where’s the rest of the team?-  
-They are taking a first aid course, they will be back by 4pm. I’ll let them know you passed by-  
-Thank you Carlo. Now, let me pay for the meal.-  
They waited patiently looking how Carlo prepared their sandwiches. He took two loafs of fresh baked breads, cut it in halves and started accommodating the ingredients inside of them. It only took him 5 minutes to have both orders ready.  
-Here they are, tuna melt for Miss Pieck, and turkey special for mister Galliard, congratulations on the job-  
-Thank you Carlo. I’ll pass by tomorrow to say hi to the crew- Pieck said and waved as she walked away next to Porco.  
They sat facing each other in a wooden table near to the main street, quietly unwrapping their sandwiches from the aluminum foil.  
-Bon appetit-  
Pieck was the first who took a bite from her sandwich and Porco could have sworn she was smiling while munching through her tuna melt. He took a bite of his. It smelled really good, and when he tasted it, there was an explosion of flavors and textures, it was the best sandwich he had ever had. The bread had a slight crunchiness in the outside, and it was so soft and airy on the inside, the turkey melted in his mouth right away and the swiss cheese was an amazing note to the chord of flavors, but the best part about it, was the sauce, it had a tangy flavor and slightly acid but very pleasant to the palette and it brought out the flavor of the turkey.  
-You liked it? - Pieck asked. Porco was still savoring it when he looked back at her.  
-Yes, it’s delicious, the sauce is really amazing. How did you discovered this place?-  
She giggled  
-I used to work here a few years ago. Not to brag or anything, but that sandwich has my signature recipe on it- she proudly said as she continued to eat her own sandwich.  
Porco was a little surprised. He had expected her to have some kitchen experience asides from chez Fritz, but she seemed very young to have more than 10 years working on the line, besides, he had also assumed she had a very different training from making sandwiches in a fast food court. He gave her a warm smile.  
-It’s the best sandwich I’ve ever had- he answered, and his words were sincere. Pieck smiled back to him. They continued eating in a comfortable silence and when they were done, they put the trash in the can and Pieck said:  
-Well, now that we have our stomachs full, let’s go get your uniforms, the place is not that far-  
-Okay. Thank you for the sandwich, and for doing this, and in your day off. I really appreciate it- Porco wasn’t really the thankful type, but for some reason, since he met Pieck, he felt she had done so much for him. Betting on his behalf, coach him through his first time in a Michelin stared kitchen, treating him and mentoring him. He had to find a way to properly thank her, since without her, maybe he wouldn’t have gotten the job.  
-No problem, it’s really refreshing to have new cooks in the crew. Besides I like doing this, teaching the new blood the ancient ways of Fritz. My last student was Niccolo, and it was years ago-  
-Oh, yeah, I’ve heard it was really difficult to even get a trainee post at chez Fritz. Is Zeke really a strict chef? - Porco asked curiously.  
-To be honest, is not that he’s strict, but he looks for something special in the candidates that apply for working with him. I can’t really explain it very well, but, for example Annie-  
-The pastry chef, right?-  
-Yep, she arrived one day to the back door, as you did. Zeke interviewed her, and asked her to prepare a 4 course meal with the egg as the main ingredient. She delivered an amazing result. Every dish had egg as it star, but every single one of them tasted so different, she balanced all the flavors with the same ingredient- she paused and look at Porco – I think he looks for creative people, now that I say things out loud-  
She stopped in front of a modern looking store, with polished glass as its windows, where Porco saw some mannequins with different kinds of uniforms.  
-This is it, let’s go- she said as she walked in and hold the door for him. When they were inside, they were greeted by a middle aged lady who immediately recognized the raven haired girl.  
-Oh Pieck, is so good to see you again. What can I do for you?-  
-I’m looking for a set of Fritz uniforms. Let’s see, 3 pairs of kitchen pants, 5 kitchen coats and 3 aprons, please- she said – I’d say… M size? - she was looking at Porco’s body, thing the boy took some seconds to notice and reacted by turning around blushing and self-conscious.  
-Wait, I don’t know if I can afford all those clothes right know… for the moment I think I’ll do with 2 pairs- he said trying to look at the price tag of a kitchen coat that was near him.  
-Don’t worry about that, chez Fritz always provides the uniforms to their staff. By the way, what’s your shoe size?-  
As Pieck asked, the lady got near to him to take some measurements with her material. Porco was surprised about Fritz paying for their staffs clothes and shoes, and truth to be told, he was excited about his new uniforms. He had only worn two kitchen clothes in his life. The one his father gave to him in his 14th birthday that matched the one Marcel had for his and the one Pieck gave him yesterday. Also pants, aprons and shoes, it was like a dream. When he worked for the dinner, all the staff had was a polo shirt, so the idea of having his own set of proper working attires sparked a little flame of happiness inside of him.  
-Luckily for you I have the right size for him, I just have to embroider the restaurants brand and your name, young man. What should I write?-  
-P.Galliard, please- he answered  
-Very well. In 20 minutes I’ll have your things ready. Should I charge it to Zeke’s account?-  
-Pretty please- Pieck smiled, she was looking at some aprons when she went to the counter to sign the order.  
As she was signing some papers, her phone rang. She apologized and went out of the store to take the call. Porco took the chance and went to the apron section she was eying a couple of minutes ago. He started looking at each one until he ran across a black one, with three little bags, and a small violet in the left corner, it was a very simple design, but it was very pretty, so he took it to the counter to buy it.  
-Oh, what a nice gesture of you. She will like it very much- the lady said.  
When Pieck came back, he had already paid for the apron, and had it wrapped in an old fashioned paper, hidden inside his jacket.  
-Sorry, it was Colt calling worried he had not closed the syrups fridge, so, I have to go check on it. I’m sorry, but can we call it a day?- Pieck said, worried  
-Sure, don’t worry, I understand-  
-Sorry for ditching you in the middle of your induction- she apologized  
-It’s okay, you’ve done enough for today. Guess I’ll see you…? – he let the question in the air since he didn’t knew his new schedule.  
-Monday. 10 am. Again, sorry, and thank you. I’ll text you later with some details- she said as she walked and said bye to the uniforms lady. Then walked towards the door, not leaving without waving and smiling to Porco.  
Fifteen minutes passed and the lady called him.  
-Here you have young man. All what Pieck asked for is in this bags, don’t hesitate to come by if you need to fix the size, or a loose button-  
He thanked her and left the store with a warm feeling. He got home and took his uniforms out to place them in his closet, and his shoes right into the shoe holder in the back of his main door. As he was doing small tasks, his phone rang, it was his brother.  
-Hey Pock, how did your date went today?-  
-It was nice, we took lunch and walked a little. I’ll send you a picture of my new uniforms, I feel like a pro now-  
-Oh hohoho so, it was a date- Marcel said in a mocking tone  
-What? No, I never said that, it was …. It was a business meeting – Porco said very flustered  
-Suuure, if you say so- he still giggled through the phone  
-Okay man, let me see your new uniform-

It was only then, when he went to grab the last kitchen coat out of the bag, that he saw the small gift he had bought, and forgot to deliver.


	5. The harmony of flavors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sunday morning, and Porco is ready to develop some ideas for the new menu.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again in the pit after 119 ... so I decided to make a most Porco centered chapter, I hope you like it <3   
> Dedicated to all of you PokkoPikku shippers

Sunday was usually a stay in home day for Porco. He’d sleep till 11am, prepare some waffles and coffee, maybe a couple of episodes of the current series he was caught up on and after, house chores. Washing the dishes, doing some laundry, arranging his stuff or going to the market was his normal Sunday routine. But that Sunday was a different one. That day he woke up at 9 am, and went for a jog around the apple, then he bought some groceries for his tests. Since Pieck told him that the next week they were going to be working on the new menu, he’d been eager to prepare some dish of his own to propose it, and luckily, it would made it into the new seasons menu. Fall was the new theme, so he focused on getting season ingredients: some tangerines, pumpkins, yellow, purple, red and orange carrots, mushrooms, apples, figs, pears, grapes, and chestnuts were the ingredients he got into his bags and after the shopping, he went back to his apartment to have his traditional waffles and coffee, got a shower and then, took his knifes out, a notepad and a pen to start with his new dishes.  
His first choice was searing some steak with butter and garlic, pretty basic move, but his idea was to enhance it with a really good mushroom sauce. He’d decided to sauté the mushrooms with some peanut oil, salt, pepper, and thyme, then adding a little bit of milk and processed them with a hand mixer before adding flour, to thicken the sauce. He plated it in a very generic way: sliced the steak and add a spoon of the sauce on the top. Since he started cooking, decorating and plating was not really his strength, he’d leave that to Marcel, he had a more artistic approach when the time to serve a dish came. Struggling with his plating made him thought about his brother, and the first time he had ever cooked.   
When he was 9 years old, he went to his father and asked him to teach him how to make a chicken soup, cause Marcel had the flu and that was the usual his mother prepared for them when they were sick. He’d sometimes help his dad to prepare simple things, peel carrots or potatoes, knead some dough, toss salads, or his favorite one, trying the food to let him know if it needed something else, but to actually cook, he had never before. His father was surprised and moved by the reason why Porco wanted to learn to cook, so he happily obliged.  
-Here son, this is how you properly hold a knife- he showed Porco how he was holding the sharp knife, thumb and index finger grabbing the blade, right next to the handle, and how with the rest of the fingers, he had a firm grip on the handle.  
-Now, when you cut something, your other hand always has to be in this position- Mr. Galliard grabbed a potato placing his hand as a claw, with the tips of his fingers touching the potato.  
-This way you’ll avoid chopping a finger- the young boy was mimicking his father’s movements with another potato.  
-So, when you start with the chopping, in this case of veggies, place the upper hand of the blade on your middle finger, no, the other one son, the one in the hand you are using to grab the potato. Yes, like that. Now, pay attention to me-   
His dad starting cutting the potato slowly, to show him how he had the knife resting on the index finger. That way, it was easier for him to raise a little the knife and control it to cut the ingredient. Little by little, he started cutting faster, and all the pieces of the potato were the same size.  
-Now, for the stock, you want to wait till the water boils to add salt, you can add some bay leaves and aromatic herbs before. Then, the chicken pieces. - That day his father and he prepared the chicken soup for Marcel. Porco was so happy when it was ready.  
His dad helped him to get the bowl of warm soup into the bedroom upstairs. When Marcel heard his little brother was the one he prepared it, his face lit up with happiness and tenderness. Sure, they had their fights like every siblings, but deep inside, they really cared for each other and every once in a while, that fraternal love would show up, like that day, with a small detail as a warm chicken soup.  
Since that day, the Galliard brothers would practice everything his dad teached them. Starting with basic chopping skills, names and types of veggie cuts, the basic sauces and pretty much basic dishes such as soups, stews, prepared meats, mashed potatoes, etc. One of their most treasured memories from learning to cook with his father was in their mother’s 50th birthday, they were going to bake their first 3 tier cake and decorate it with fondant, making this tiny fondant dolls of themselves to accommodate on top of the cake. Porco’s dad prepared the cake’s batter and put it in the oven, Marcel was in charge of the buttercream and the fondant, and Porco, he was in charge of making the small figurines, which he struggled a lot to make. When the time came to put the cake together, they had 0 knowledge about how the weight of it may affect to the structure, if it had no support, which it didn’t. So when they heard the front door opening, they rushed to finish the decorations, broken fondant, eyeless figurines, and a not so straight layered cake.   
Needless to say, their mom loved the cake anyways. When he looked back into that day, a smile would appear in his lips, just picturing the 4 of them, eating an almost falling cake, laughing about the decorations and just having some time together.  
The sound of traffic got him out of his thoughts. He ate the half of the steak and put away the other half and took his phone out, ready to send a text.  
“Hey chef, afternoon. Sorry to bother you in Sunday, but I was wondering if you had any recommendations of culinary books or, articles perhaps?”  
He hit send and while he waited for the response, he started to wash his dishes and equipment.  
“Hi Galliard!! Don’t worry, it’s never a bother when helping someone with learning. And yes, try with this one” A large URL direction was sent in the next text.  
“And I already told you, call me Pieck! ;) “  
He smiled at the text, he could imagine her voice saying the last phrase, he even pictured her winking, just as the emoji she had sent.  
“Thank you, Pieck : ) see you tomorrow”  
“Oh, btw, take comfy clothes tomorrow, we all will work in cleaning the whole place. See you!”   
“Heard!”  
Even if cleaning and arranging could get tedious, Porco actually liked this activities, they helped him to get more organized and since it was a new workplace, it would help him to familiarize with the place, so he could find ingredients, equipment or anything without asking all the time.  
He clicked on the URL, and a small pdf file opened, it was an essay called “The harmony of flavors” by T. Xaver. The name rang a bell to him, but he didn’t paid too much attention to it and went in with the reading and note taking. It was a very well and detailed work explaining how the combination of flavors worked, about the 5 basic tastes and sub-tastes and of course, sensations such as the wrong called “spicy flavor”. He got so caught up on the lecture he spent 3 hours reading and writing down stuff and ideas of “chords”, such as Xaver called some combinations of flavors.  
The article Pieck showed to him helped him a lot, he learned a lot of things he didn’t knew about, and also, had raised some questions about related themes, he made a note to ask her more material and got to the kitchen. He took out of his shopping bag all of the ingredients he had gotten that morning and classified them. He tried every ingredient and made a small chart with its characteristics, so he could classify the ingredient profile more easily, he’d note down color, texture, flavor and sub-flavors, all of them raw and cooked. He had never thought about cooking in this way, of balancing more than the flavor aspect of food, it was way more than that, how also chemistry and reactions could change a dish to make it amazing. He felt so thrilled. He spent all his evening creating this profile charts for almost every ingredient he had in his apartment   
It was when he was looking at his fridge, when he realized he had noted down all of his edible goods, so he took a break, prepared some dinner. Good and trusty mac n’ cheese never failed to pace his hunger, and since he had learnt today citric cut the greasiness of meats and dairy, he prepared some tangerine and orange juice, to cleanse his palette before having some peanut butter and jelly toast as dessert.   
As he was resting in his couch after dinner, he took out his phone to check his messages. Not a single one. He saw Pieck’s icon and decided to click on it, it was a picture of her, in what seemed a market, she was holding a very big tomato, next to her face, with both hands, she was smiling and he thought she looked very pretty in it. Someone had took the picture for her, maybe a boyfriend? No, he recalled the guy from Panzer’s thinking he was her boyfriend. He shook his head. Why was he suddenly thinking about his new superior‘s love life? It was none of his business. But again, his mind still wandered around her. She was a very beautiful woman, confident, smart and charismatic, so he guessed it was natural to feel admiration towards her. Yes, admiration, at least he thought it was that and settled his ideas.   
It was getting late, and he hadn’t came up with a recipe yet. He felt frustration again. He wanted to show commitment with his new job, and it was normal that he wanted to impress Zeke, he had admired him for years, and how he was under his wing. Again the memories of his youth struck to one of his parents and him, going over to a friend of his mom to have dinner, and they had a rather unusual dessert for Porco, guava jelly with manchego cheese and lychee. With his new acquired knowledge, he took his note pad and wrote it down, and analyzed the triad of flavors. Acidity from the guava, a mix of tanginess and bitterness from the chees, alongside that milky flavor, and the sweetness from the lychee, an amazing closure for a wonderful dinner. Now, another stone of the road, it was no season for two of those ingredients, but his mind and memory helped him to find the new ingredients, simulating that triad that had blown his mind when he was younger. Figs, for acidity, goat cheese, for the bitterness and milky flavor, and grapes, to add a dash of sweetness. That would work for an entrance, so he wrote down the recipe he imagined, because he was out of some ingredients to test it.   
His mind kept working and recalling all the dishes that had impressed him, when he got another strike. Risotto. One of his favorite meals, and the risotto he liked the most, was his grandmother’s recipe, she made this incredible, creamy and full of flavor dish, using chicken stock and parmesan cheese, but instead of adding a stock, Porco thought about some diluted puree, maybe mushroom or pumpkin would work for it. He felt so inspired again, writing down the recipes, eager to show them tomorrow at work.  
After another good hour of work, he felt confident again, and hoping Zeke, Pieck and the staff would like his ideas for the new menu. Overall, he wanted to hear Pieck’s opinion, and he also wanted to show her how much he had learned with her help.  
Porco put his things in order for tomorrow, prepared his clothes, put away his notepad in his bag and prepared for bed.  
He was eager to start the cleaning of the kitchen.


	6. Rock Lobster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the weekend, Porco is ready to return to chez Fritz. The new season is just a week away, so the staff needs to prepare everything before they can reopen the restaurant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I took some vacations and I wasn't able to update very often ... but I finally came back, ready, and working in new ideas. Hope you enjoy this chapter :)

It was 9:30 when Porco left his apartment. He walked towards the subway and took line 7, the one that was meant to take him directly to his new workplace. Fifteen minutes later, he was already walking to the backdoor of the restaurant, were he saw a figure, it was Zeke, smoking, and with a lost gaze.  
-Morning chef- Porco greeted.  
-Oh, Galliard, you are early. Good morning. - He answered, then he tossed his cigarette to the ground and step on it.  
-Would you like some coffee? - he offered  
-Sure, thank you chef-   
Zeke held the door and gestured Porco to step inside. He could saw Yelena in the office, she was checking some notebooks when she raised her eyes and made eye contact with the new cook.  
-Oh, so you haven’t run away yet?-  
-Morning to you too  
-Yelena, be kind with the new kid. Do you want some coffee?- Zeke said  
-You know it stains your teeth, I’ll pass- she turned her gaze back to the notebooks and kept doing reading the contents.  
-Don’t mind her, she acts bitter with new people, is not personal-   
Zeke walked to the floor area and went into the bar section. The coffee machine they had was not very big, but it was fancy enough to prepare over 6 types of beverages.  
-What’s your poison? - the chef asked  
-Espresso is fine- Porco answered  
-Hmm classic, nice choice.  
As Zeke started working on the machine, voices starting to grow in the back of the restaurant. The back door opened and the sight of Niccolo and Sasha entering the hall reached the new cook, they were chatting of some show they were watching together, and the last episode was released last Saturday. As if it was some sort of ritual, they greeted the ones in the bar, took a seat next to Porco, and asked for two cappuccinos. The next one to arrive was Pieck, she used the front door instead, and she was carrying with her a blue carpet. Before Porco could say good morning to her, the voice of Reiner, so lively to be true, distracted everyone from their doings, he was crossing the door accompanied by Berthold and Colt, who seemed to had a hangover and was suffering from hearing the taller cook.  
When everyone was in the restaurant, it was 9:58, they were all in the bar, drinking their coffees and making small talk. Yelena came from the office and took a place besides to Zeke, she was carrying two small decorative bowls with folded pieces of paper in them.  
-I’ll explain things to our new member here. We sort the places we’ll have to clean, but first, I’ll take out two papers from the green bowl, to form pairs, each pair will have to do the respective cleaning of an area, at 13h we’ll have lunch and in the end we all clean the kitchen together. Got it? - Zeke said  
-Yes chef-  
-Okay, so, let’s begin- Zeke took a paper from the bowl and unfolded it –First one is Reiner, and he’ll be working with… - he reached again for the bowl and took another paper. –Pieck- Then, the executive chef moved his hand to the other bowl and draw a third piece of folded paper. –And you’ll clean … the bar-  
Both cooks hive fived each other. Porco feel a little bit disappointed, deep inside, he wanted to be paired with Pieck, to talk about the recipes he developed, and spend some more time with her. It hadn’t been long but he felt more comfortable with her than with any other staff member. Still, he didn’t closed his mind to get to know the other members, and perhaps making new friends. He was rambling in his mind when Zeke’s voice calling his name got him out of his thoughts and look up.  
-Let’s see who will have the task to guide Mr. Galliard today… oh, Niccolo, you’re the lucky one-  
Porco felt a pat on his shoulder.   
-Don’t worry Zeke, now I’ll pass the newbie staff to him-   
Porco gave him a half smile. Since Niccolo was the last hired before him, he was a bit curious of him. When he saw him work a few days ago, Porco was amazed of how organized he was, he also seemed to change a bit when he cooked, so focused and making sure everything was beyond perfection. To be honest, Porco felt a little intimidated by him.  
-You guys will clean the stock room. Please Niccolo, show him the inventory system, FIFO’s and all that stuff. Let’s continue.-  
The sorting process was very fast, in the end, the other couples were Sasha and Yelena, cleaning the walk in, Berthold and Colt the floor and Zeke and Annie the pastry kitchen. When the last couple received their area, Annie’s look seemed to change into one of relief, Porco relate to the feeling, if he was the pastry cook, cleaning his own area of work was the ideal thing.  
-Well everyone, let’s get to work- Yelena said and everyone went to their designated areas to start the cleaning.   
-Come on red, you’ll learn a lot today- Niccolo said and started walking to the stock room. When both of them entered, it seemed like it didn’t need any cleaning at all. It was a 10 square meters room, with some shelves arranged in the walls. Near the door there was a small table, with a scale on it and a notebook next to it.  
-So, do you know what FIFO’s stands for? - The blond man asked.  
-Not really, what is it? – Porco asked paying attention to his more experienced coworker.  
\- First in, first out, is the way we organize the products from newest to oldest, that way we’ll finish first the products we had before. It’s a great way to avoid losses of product and therefore, money- Niccolo explained –Now, our task consist in taking everything of the shelves, write down how much of each ingredient we have, obviously check their state, and add it to the inventory right there- he pointed at the red notebook next to the scale. –Then, clean the shelves, place again the goods on them, and clean the floor. Pretty simple, right?-   
-Yeah, it’s an easy task, I bet we can finish before the others- Porco smiled  
-We better, first ones to finish get a reward, so let’s get started-   
Both cooks went for the closest shelve to the table. It had a lot of crystal jars, filled up with spices, dry leaves, powders and many other products. As Niccolo had said, the task was very simple but since there were a ton of jars and ingredients, it was getting a little bit boring, and awkward, at least for Porco. The blond cook seemed so focused, but still, Porco gather courage and talked to him.  
-So Niccolo, rumor has it you were the last hired before me… two years ago. Can I ask, how did you got hired?-  
-Hm? Sure, it’s not a secret Zeke’s very demanding when he hires new staff and he doesn’t really post job openings, to be honest, I really didn’t applied for a job at chez Fritz- Niccolo explained as he noted down how many grams of dried bay leaves they had. – It was Sasha the one who got me the job- he said, with some nostalgia and warm in his eyes.  
He remembered about that day, almost 3 years ago, when he used to work at Marley’s Pincers, the most famous local seafood house, he received a new order, a lobster special with butter and his homemade mayonnaise. Just 5 minutes after his dish was delivered, a waitress had told him the person that had order it wanted to speak with him, and he wasn’t prepared to listen to costumers complain, at least not sober. He took out his apron and went to the floor area, and when he asked which table was the one that requested his presence, he got confused. Table 9, a young couple it seemed. A boy with a very short haircut was eating a clam chowder, and in front of him a girl, with auburn hair and a lobster bib, eating eagerly the lobster, tearing up, it was quite an amusing sight.  
-Excuse me, my name is Niccolo, I was the one responsible of making your lobster. Is there something I can do for you miss? - he asked as soon as he got near the table.  
The girl just looked up at him, with a huge grin in her face, and a smudge of mayo in her left cheek.  
-THIS IS THE BEST LOBSTER I HAVE EVER EATEN IN MY ENTIRE LIFE! YOU ARE TRULY A GENIOUS! - she yelled still chewing her food.  
People had praised his cooking before, but this was the first time someone had put so much feelings to their praising, he thought.   
-I, em, I am really happy that you liked it miss, thank you for your compliment-  
-My name is Sasha, please let me know your name, sea food master- she said  
-Sea food master? Sasha, you are bothering him, and everyone in the restaurant is staring- her companion pointed out  
-Shut up Connie, I just had a religious experience, I feel like I was reborn- the girl claimed, and Niccolo chuckled a bit.  
-My name is Niccolo. Please let me know if you want anything else, dessert is on the house-  
-I want you- the girl blurted out, leaving Niccolo and the boy named Connie surprised and in silence.  
-I work at a restaurant you may have heard of, and I would like you to work there, I can speak with the chef and get you an interview this evening. Please say yes, I’m sure you could make wonders at chez Fritz- the girl stated with her palms in the table and eager eyes.   
Of course he had heard about chez Fritz, but he had never thought about working there, not because he didn’t wanted to, the reason was that he was rather comfortable where he was. So for no reason in particular, he decided to accept the girl’s offering. That same evening he met chef Zeke, who asked him to prepare any dish he wanted to. Every moment of the interview Sasha was present, and for some reason, Niccolo wanted to impress her more than Zeke.  
Ever since he got the job, he and Sasha had become very close friends, when the time to develop new recipes came, they’d always work together. Niccolo was in charge of the cooking and Sasha tasted, but sometimes the girl would create interesting recipes based on her cravings and the young man always make the perfect product for her.  
-And that’s how I ended here, thanks to her- the blond cook said, raising his gaze and looking through the crystal door, in the walk-in’s direction.  
Porco listened silently to his story, he found it really heartwarming and funny at the same time, he also detected the affection in Niccolo’s voice when he referred to the auburn haired waitress. The rest of the time, they kept organizing the stock room with small chat about their old jobs, favorite dishes and restaurant recommendations. The two of them bonded over fish sticks, as funny as it sounded, the conversation began with the meals they had as kids and how they’d always order fish sticks when they visited the beach. Most of their conversation turned around the best way of prepare the batter that covers them, they got into a very heated argument about using corn starch or potato starch to assure a more fluffy batter when a knock got them out of their conversation.  
-Are you done arguing? Next time use a mix of same parts of starches. Lunch is here- the pastry chef, Annie, was looking at them, and spoke in a way that expose her boredom.  
-Ah, yeah, we’ll just close the inventory and we’ll be there, thanks Annie- Niccolo said. The blonde girl left without saying something.  
Both of the young men finished organizing the stock room, with 0 loses, and it looked really good. Porco had learnt a lot in that small time, since Niccolo was really good at explaining things, and he felt comfortable enough to realize the new inventories on his own. They were startled by a soft voice at their backs.  
-Wow, the place looks great guys- Pieck was at the door contemplating the shelves and the jars.  
-Of course, leant from the best, chief- Niccolo winked. –I’ll go to help set the table, great work today Galliard- he said as he gave the redhead a thumbs up and left the room.  
-Hey Pieck, I wanted to thank you for your help yesterday, and I also, I want to show you my ideas- Porco said, shyly as he reached for the small notepad.  
-Oh, sure! I was really curious about your recipes, let’s take a look at them- she stood next to him, eyeing through his messy handwriting. As she was so close to him, Porco realized about the height difference between them, she barely reached his chin, he thought that if he hugged her, he could rest his chin into her head. He shook his head to focus in her feedback.  
-Wow, this are really great combinations- she said as she continue reading through the composition of each dish. –We can do some arrangements to the risotto, to make it creamier- she said, more to herself.  
-You developed this based on the article I sent you?- she asked surprised   
-Well, yeah, it was really interesting, so I tried remembering flavors and marrying them- he said, with a little bit of pride in his voice.   
-I’m really impressed Mr Galliard- Pieck said, giving him a friendly pat in his shoulder. - Let’s go to the table, we all share our ideas there-   
They went together to the floor, three tables were arranged the same way when he had his first meal there, prepared by him and the sous chef. At the tables, rested a couple of large boxes, one with harumaki spring rolls and the other one with steamed buns. Some boxes were displayed right at the center of the table, it had a red logo of an A, and the cook recognized it, it was from Azumabito’s, the best oriental food in the city. It was a quite famous restaurant, even Zeke had been invited to cook with them one time.   
All of the staff took a seat and eagerly started eating. All the food was amazing. They all started talking about what they did during their weekends, and share anecdotes for a quite long amount of time. Without realizing, Porco engaged in the conversation, he found Sasha really amusing, Colt was also a good chatter, and Niccolo had the most amazing shopping anecdotes ever, Pieck on the other side was a box of surprises, and she was very smart too, the way she could made you feel you were in her anecdote was amazing. Berthold was more a shy guy, on the contrary, Reiner was a very self-centered person, not very dislikeable, but he could turn the mood into a very boring one. Annie, Yelena and Zeke were not very open, they’d listen quietly and sometimes make remarks or just add a cynical laugh. Even if it had been just a couple of days, Porco felt between friends.

**Author's Note:**

> A little bit of translations from the kitchen slang  
> À point: Ideal point to cook certain meats  
> Pass: The table where dishes are finished and send to the tables  
> Walk in: Big fridges used in kitchen. We cooks use it to cry or scream inside it  
> Mise en place: the preparation of ingredients and materials to prepare a dish  
> A 9: pans and some containers are named after their fraction size  
> Fruits de mer: Seafood  
> To work in the line: working in kitchen, preparing the food during service  
> Bubble dancer: Rude way to call the dishwasher (one of the most valuable members in a kitchen!!!)  
> Sauté: cook at high temperature, constantly moving, makin the food "jump" in the pan.  
> The floor: the dining area were the tables are placed


End file.
